You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil

You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil

Aesop, the famous ancient Greek storyteller, is known for his fables that often contain moral lessons and wisdom. One of his most well-known fables is "The Lion's Share," which perfectly illustrates the saying, "You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil."

In this fable, a lion, a fox, a jackal, and a wolf go hunting together. They successfully catch a deer and decide to divide the spoils equally among them. However, the lion claims the lion's share, which is the largest portion, leaving the other animals with very little. When the other animals protest, the lion reminds them that he is the king of the jungle and therefore deserves the lion's share.

This fable teaches us that those in power often take the largest portion of the spoils, even if others have contributed equally to the effort. It highlights the harsh reality that in the world, those who are powerful and influential often take advantage of their position to claim more than their fair share.